Too busy for Christmas?

We are busy. We are eco-friendly. We are budget conscious. And we are technologically savvy.

So why, then, do we continue to indulge in the paper-wasting, time-sucking and sometimes expensive tradition of mailing Christmas cards?

Because we love them -- that is, when we're on the receiving end.

We love to hear from old friends, see updated pictures and read holiday letters, no matter how boring or boastful they may be.

"As much as (people) say, 'I don't have the time,' at the very last minute, they'll still do it. Even if they're staying up 'til midnight the night before," said Hallmark spokeswoman Deidre Parkes. "They're looking for ways to shave time, but there's something about the tradition they're still wanting to continue."

Even though most people complain about the card-sending process, Hallmark Cards, American Greetings and the U.S. Postal Service all report a "stable" holiday card business.

Postal service data actually shows people are mailing more holiday cards than they did three years ago. The average home now sends 26 cards, compared with 21 in 2004, says post office spokesman Tim Ratliff.

However, an informal survey of suburban residents last week found that most people say they're sending -- and receiving -- fewer holiday cards than ever before.

Why? It's not the rising cost of postage or the desire to conserve paper.

It's that everyone is too busy to send them out.

To purchase, address, stamp, personalize and mail dozens of cards takes a lot of time. And since the job usually falls to the female head of the household -- who today is often a working woman -- the task ends up on a very long holiday to-do list.

"I haven't even thought about doing it yet," said Rachel Levendoski, of Oak Park, who has a toddler and two jobs. "I use to send out about 15 or 20 cards each year … but I'll probably just send 10 this year, max. It's hard to find the time."

Christmas cards used to line the doorway around Shelly Cosico's kitchen.

Not this year.

"Now, we don't get enough to make it look nice," said Cosico, of Elk Grove Village.

Whether sending fewer or more cards than before, people are definitely looking for ways to save time. Mass-produced letters are more popular now than hand-written personalized notes.

Numerous businesses offer cards you can make on your computer. At www.usps.com, people can create a card with a photo, select a stamp, submit their addresses -- and the cards are automatically made and mailed.

E-cards are also popular alternatives to old-fashioned holiday cards, with American Greetings reporting a 23 percent jump in e-card traffic this year.

Most people agree, though, that an e-mail doesn't hold the same sentiment as a regular card, which is another reason why the tradition endures -- despite the time, despite the paper, despite the expense.

For many, cookie baking, house decorating and get-togethers aren't done to the extent they were a generation ago. The trend saddens Ruben Rodriguez, of Arlington Heights, who says the meaning of the holiday seems to be getting watered down by commercialism and societal changes.

"The emotional attitude is not the same that it used to be," he said. "It used to be a lot more special. Now, everyone's so busy and spread out."

Juggling Christmas traditions -- including holiday cards -- with busy everyday life isn't easy, but Angelina Wielgus of Chicago said she doesn't mind tiring herself out this time of year.

"Christmas only comes once a year," she said. "Come on."

Holiday card facts

• Christmas cards were created by a busy man looking to save time. In 1843, Henry Cole gave birth to the idea because he was too busy to write a personal holiday greeting. He hired an artist to design a card he could send to his friends.

• You can buy Christmas cards featuring everyone from Hannah Montana to President Bush.

• The average American household mails 26 cards each holiday season.

• Thursday is the final day to use first-class or Priority Mail service if you want your holiday cards and gifts to arrive on time.

• More than 20 billion cards, letters and packages are mailed through the U.S. Postal Service between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

Sources: U.S. Postal Service, Hallmark.com